


Second Chance

by Inell



Series: Quick Fic Prompts [20]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: 3 sentence fic, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, M/M, Papa Hale's Name is Joseph
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-16
Updated: 2018-06-16
Packaged: 2019-05-24 03:07:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 638
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14946453
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Inell/pseuds/Inell
Summary: Joseph knows this is a second chance





	Second Chance

**Author's Note:**

  * For [cywscross](https://archiveofourown.org/users/cywscross/gifts).



> For a 3 sentence fic meme. Prompt was Royalty AU or Soulmate AU. I combined them both.

Talia’s absence is hard to ignore tonight—not that Joseph has really ever truly ignored it since losing her nearly five years ago—the loss of a soulmate is akin to losing a limb: it might be gone but it’s never forgotten and there’s always an echo of emptiness where she should be in his life; but it’s even worse tonight because his left forearm won’t stop itching, her mark tingling since dawn in a way it hasn’t since they first met nearly three decades ago—though he knows it’s likely in his head because of the events occurring this weekend.

The ballroom is crowded with guests, friends and enemies alike making small talk, eager to catch a glimpse of Prince Mieczysław of Pilsznakia when he arrives at the palace in Beacon Hills to meet Princess Cora, his betrothed from birth—a practice that is only followed when soulmates are not discovered by age twenty, a practice that Talia’s father had insisted upon when they managed to avoid performing the custom with Laura and Derek, both of whom were born with soul marks making them ineligible—and Joseph had hoped that Cora would develop a mark of her own before they were forced to go through with this nonsense; but Cora doesn’t have a mark and has no interest in ever acquiring one, having no use for romance or sex yet Joseph is standing idly by allowing this to happen because of old promises and pacts and he hates himself a little more when he sees Cora looking curiously at the group of guests who just arrived because he shouldn’t be supporting her decision to complete the contract out of some misguided loyalty to her grandfather.

The tingling in Joseph’s arm is worse now, aching and heated in a way that’s painful, and he can’t help but wonder if it’s Talia’s way of punishing him for letting their daughter enter into a loveless marriage with a stranger for political reasons—knowing this is definitely something Talia would not support regardless of Cora’s stubbornness and sense of duty; and he’s so distracted by the burning in his forearm that he doesn’t pay much attention as he steps forward to meet King John and his son.

It’s only when his hand is suddenly clasped by a strong grip that sends sparks through his skin that he focuses, seeing startled brown eyes staring at him in shock, hearing the gasps around them as the connection between soulmates is made; staring at the handsome young— _so young_ …Cora’s age…too young to be a good match for a widower nearing his fifth decade yet obviously the fates believe it’s a good match because he knows this feeling, felt it the first time he met Princess Talia when she stopped at his father’s garage to have her car fixed and their hands touched when she made her payment—only this is more intense because it’s not his first, it’s his second chance—something that doesn’t happen to everyone…and Prince Mieczysław is staring at him with an expression that is slightly unreadable but intense in a way befitting their soul connection.

When Prince Mieczysław, no please call me Stiles, drags a thumb across Joseph’s palm and suggests they go somewhere private, he can’t help tightening his grip on his hand, listening to Peter laugh about cradle robbing Kings followed by a sharp sound of a punch as Cora reminds Peter he’s an ass, and Joseph feels his soulmark thrumming, swears he can hear Talia’s soft laughter in the air as he leads his soulmate to a private room so they can talk about what’s just happened, noticing Prince Stiles looking him over in a decidedly interested way that makes him feel like maybe the age difference isn’t such a huge concern, after all.

 


End file.
